Hard Metals

Hard metals are primarily used as cutting tool for metal cutting. They consist of fine WC particles which act as the hard and abrasion-resistant component and are bonded with tough, comparatively soft, metallic cobalt (Co). The structure of two phase WC/Co hard metals is conventionally defined by key parameters such as

  • Grain size of the WC phase
  • Co binder (Grain size /shape)
  • Volume (or wt) fraction and composition of the Co binder-phase

Umicore is providing both spherical & elongated type cobalt powders suitable for use in hard metal applications. The hard metal tools are used in automotive industry (cutting tool inserts), oil & gas sector (oil drilling/exploration), electronics (PCB drills), dies & mould industry (forming, punching dies), etc.